Bele Doette as fenestres se siet, Lit en un livre mais au cueur ne l'en tient; De son ami Doon li resovient Qu'en autres terres est alez tornier. E, or en ai dol ! Uns escuiers as degrez de la sale Est dessenduz, s'est destrossé sa male. Bele Doette les degrez en avale, Ne cuide pas oir novel male. E, or en ai dol ! Bele Doette tantost li demanda: "Ou est mes sires, que ne vie tel pieça?" Cil ot tel duel que de pitie plora; Bele Doette maintenant se pasma. E, [or en ai dol !] Bele Doette s'est en estant drecie; Voit l'escuier, vers lui s'est adrecie; En son cuer est dotante et correcie Por son signor dont ele ne voit mie. E, [or en ai dol !] Bele Doette li prist a demander: "Ou est mes sires cui je doi tant amer?" "En non Deu, dame, nel vos quier mais celer. Morz est mes sires, ocis fu au joster." E, [or en ai dol !] Bele Doette a pris son duel a faire: - Tant mar i fustes, cuens Do, frans debonaire, Por vostre amor vestirai je la haire, Ne sor mon cors n'avra pelice vaire. E, or en ai dol ! Por vos ferai une abbaie tele : Quant iert li jors que la feste iert nomeie, Se nus i vient qui ait s'amor fauseie, ja del mostier ne savera l'entreie. E, or en ai dol! Bele (Doette) prist s'abaïe a faire, Qui mout est grande et / adés sera maire. Toz cels et celes vodra dedanz atraire Qui por amor sevent peine et mal traire. E, or en ai dol! Por vos devenrai nonne en l'eglise saint Pol.
Bele Doette sits at the windows; she is reading a book, but her heart is not in it; she remembers her friend Doon, who has gone to joust in other lands, Ah, how it grieves me! A squire has come down the stairs into the chamber and has unpacked his bag. Bele Doette goes down the stairs, not thinking to hear bad news. Ah, how it grieves me! Bele Doette straightway asked him: "Where is my lord, whom I have not seen for a long time?" He was so stricken with grief that he wept out of pity; Then Bele Doette fell into a swoon. Ah, how it grieves me! Bele Doette stood up; she sees the squire and goes over to him; in her heart she is sorrowful and outraged because of her lord whom she does not see Ah, how it grieves me! Bele Doette begann to ask him: "Where is my lord whom I should love” "In God's name, lady, I wish to keep it from you no longer: My lord is dead; he was killed in the joust". Ah, how it grieves me! Bele Doette began to display her sorrow: "You were there at an evil hour, count Do, noble and good; for love of you, I will wear a hair—shirt, no on my body will I have a pelisse of squirrel fur." Ah. how it grieves me! For you I will build such an abbey that, when the day falls on which the feast is named, if anyone comes who has betrayed his love, never will he know the entrance to the convent.” Ah, how it grieves me! Bele Doette began to build her abbey, which is very large and soon will be larger; all those men and women will she take in whe, through love, know pain and misfortune. Ah, how it grieves me!